Sports wire

Both sides in the ongoing NHL labor fight said negotiations are expected to resume today following a one-day break in talks.

NHL

After short layoff, labor talks expected to resume today

Both sides in the ongoing NHL labor fight said negotiations are expected to resume today following a one-day break in talks.

After owners and players met for about 90 minutes Monday night at the NHL office in Manhattan, the players union huddled to go over the league’s request for a full proposal. Those internal conversations continued yesterday, and the sides focused on a return to the bargaining table today.

It wasn’t immediately clear if the players would deliver a new, complete offer to the NHL.

Soccer

Chelsea in danger of getting ousted from Champions League

Chelsea is on the verge of becoming the first reigning Champions League champion to not make it out of the group stage after a 3-0 loss at Juventus yesterday.

Already under pressure in the English Premier League after a four-game winless run, Chelsea is third in Group E behind leader Shakhtar Donetsk and Juventus. Chelsea has to defeat Nordsjaelland and hope for Shakhtar to defeat Juventus to advance.

Barcelona advanced for a ninth straight season after defeating Spartak Moscow 3-0 behind two goals from Lionel Messi. Manchester United, which already qualified, lost 1-0 at Galatasaray.

Baseball

Indians drop LaPorta, Lillibridge, Martinez from 40-man roster

The Cleveland Indians added outfielder Tim Fedroff, right-handers Chen-Chang Lee and Trey Haley and left-hander T.J. House to the 40-man roster before last night’s midnight deadline to protect them from the Rule 5 draft at the winter meetings on Dec. 6 in Nashville, Tenn.

First baseman Matt LaPorta, utility player Brent Lillibridge and right-hander Fabio Martinez were taken off the roster to make room. LaPorta and Lillibridge were outrighted to the Clippers, and Martinez was designated for assignment. LaPorta cannot refuse the outright, but Lillibridge can choose to become a free agent.

• John Gibbons was hired as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays for the second time, returning to a team that just invigorated its roster after a blockbuster trade with the Miami Marlins.

Gibbons managed Toronto from 2004 to ’08 and had a 305-305 record, making him the third-winningest manager in franchise history.

He succeeds John Farrell, who spurned Toronto for his dream managing job in Boston. Gibbons, however, takes over a different team from the one Farrell managed.

The announcement came a day after the Blue Jays completed a megadeal to acquire All-Star shortstop Jose Reyes and pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle from Miami. Toronto agreed to the trade last week, and commissioner Bud Selig approved it on Monday. The Blue Jays, extraordinarily busy this offseason, also completed a two-year, $16 million deal with free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera.

• Right-hander Hiroki Kuroda is staying with the New York Yankees, agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract.

Kuroda, who turns 38 in February, was the Yankees’ most consistent pitcher during the regular season. He went 16-11, tying for the team lead in victories.

• Free-agent right-hander Jeremy Guthrie and the Kansas City Royals agreed to a three-year, $25 million deal. Guthrie will make $5 million in 2013, $11 million in 2014 and $9 million in 2015. Guthrie struggled the first half of last season, going 3-9 with a 6.35 ERA for the Colorado Rockies before getting traded to Kansas City for another struggling starter, Jonathan Sanchez.

Guthrie flourished at pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium, going 5-3 with a 3.16 ERA in 14 starts for the Royals.

• The Seattle Mariners acquired infielder player Robert Andino from the Baltimore Orioles for reserve outfielder Trayvon Robinson.

• Free-agent reliever Joel Peralta completed a two-year, $6 million contract to remain with the Tampa Bay Rays. Peralta went 2-6 with a 3.63 ERA in 76 appearances last season.

— From wire reports

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